UK defense senior advisor visits Lebanon, raises UK flag at UNIFIL

The British Embassy in Lebanon welcomed the UK Defense Senior Advisor to the Middle East and North Africa (DSAME) Air Marshal Martin Sampson to Lebanon from 5 to 6 July.

Sampson met Army Commander General Joseph Aoun), caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and caretaker Foreign Affairs Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. He was accompanied during his visits by Charge D’Affaires Camilla Nickless and the Defense Attaché Lt. Colonel Lee Saunders.

During a special ceremony held at UNIFIL Headquarters in Naqoura, Sampson attended the raising of the United Kingdom’s flag at UNIFIL as a Troop Contributing Country. The UK is represented by a female officer as the Integrated Outreach Operations Officer, and is the 49th troop contributor to the Mission's now 10,101 peacekeepers.

Charge D’Affaires Camilla Nickless said: “An important milestone in the UK’s contribution to Lebanon’s stability and security during the raising of the United Kingdom’s flag at UNIFIL. We fully support UNIFIL’s work in south Lebanon, as mandated in U.N. Resolution 1701. The visit of Air Marshal Martin Sampson to Lebanon and his continued close engagement with the LAF Commander is a symbol of our enduring support to the Lebanese Armed Forces.’’

Sampson for his part said: “I was proud to take part in the United Kingdom’s flag raising ceremony at UNIFIL as a troop contributing country. Yesterday’s incident underscored UNIFIL’s critical role in support of stability and security in Lebanon. We urge everyone to exercise restraint and avoid any further escalation.”

Sampson was referring to a cross-border exchange of hostilities on the Lebanese-Israeli frontier.

“During my meetings I reiterated my support to the Lebanese people and that of the LAF given the current challenging context. We remain a close friend and strong ally of the Lebanese people and the Lebanese Armed Forces,” Sampson added.